5 classic shows to satisfy your kilig fix this summer

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The hot season keeps getting hotter with these binge-worthy romantic movies and series you can watch with no interruption with your PLDT Home connection

With so much content available for streaming these days, it’s easy to miss out on good movies and series. Two must-watch categories on our list are classics and modern romance that give us the feels to be in love. More than any other time of the year, summer is the best season to catch the love bug, whether it’s the kilig we’re looking for or the wistfulness over passions that didn’t work out.

The lazy days, especially when we’re on break, might as well give us enough free time to catch up and binge on titles that inspire these emotions. Here are five shows and films tackling love in all its forms: obsessive, cute, romantic, challenging, and ever-changing — all of which you can stream without interruption especially if you’ve got PLDT Home’s blazing fast and super reliable internet connection.

1. Letters to Juliet (2010)

This movie expertly weaves people’s notions of love from the Elizabethan era with the 21st century. Letters to Juliet is set in Verona, Italy, where Shakespeare located three of his plays including Romeo and Juliet in 1594. There is a tourist attraction in Verona called Juliet’s House that features a balcony much like in the play, where letters that people write to Juliet are taped.

The New Yorker fact checker Sophie (Amanda Seyfried, Mean Girls) visits the place with her fiancé chef Victor (Gael Garcia Bernal, The Motorcycle Diaries). One day, she finds a letter tucked behind a brick in the wall written 50 years ago by the then teenage English girl Claire (Vanessa Redgrave, Girl, Interrupted) to Lorenzo, whom she leaves behind in Italy. Claire writes an impassioned letter to Claire who, now widowed, comes to Verona with her short-tempered but protective grandson Charlie (Christopher Egan, The Prince). What follows is a story of fateful love and romance involving Sophie, Claire, and Charlie that you’ll need to follow and see through to the end.

Stream Letters to Juliet on Lionsgate Play.

2. Endless Love (1981)

Starring Brooke Shields (The Bachelor) as Jade and Martin Hewitt (Secret Games) as David, this romantic drama directed by Franco Zeffirelli was based on the eponymous book by Scott Spencer.

In Endless Love, Jade lives in suburban Chicago with her bohemian, counter-culture family and falls in love with David. The two begin a sexually intense relationship that affects the 15-year-old Jade’s schooling, leading her father to ban David from their house for 30 days. This results in a chain of events that leads to tragedy and, ultimately, love.

Stream Endless Love on Lionsgate Play.

3. Summer Guys (2021)

The web drama series was filmed on Jeju island, South Korea, in the summer of 2020, starring Lee Jung Shin, Kang Mi Na, Kwon Hyun Bin, Lee Jung Shik, and Lim Na Young.

The title is derived from the beachfront bar Summer Guys, which is failing despite the popularity of the resort where it’s located. The barkeeper (Kang Mi Na) is determined to revive its glory days before summer begins and enlists the help of three friends who could be bartenders. One is an Ivy League graduate from a wealthy family, another is a devout Buddhist who wants to help people, and the third is a baseball player. It’s a summer to remember on an island known for its beaches, food, holidaymakers, and romance.

Stream Summer Guys on Viu.

4. My Summer Prince (2016)

My Summer Prince takes the Shakespearean literary device of mistaken identity that leads to love but in the very modern context of crisis management and public relations. Rebellious royal Prince Colin of Edgemere (Jack Turner, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow) is in small town Greenbriar in Idaho on a state visit when gets into mischief, for which he is arrested by the sheriff. His mother, Queen Rosalind, hires cutthroat PR boss Deidre Kelly (Lauren Holly, Crank: High Voltage) for damage control and she brings her assistant Mandy Cooper (Taylor Cole, 12 Rounds) along with her.

Unfortunately for Deidre, she gets chickenpox when they land in Greenbriar. She is then forced to send her younger assistant Mandy to deal with the crisis. When Mandy is mistaken for Deidre by the Queen’s assistant Penelope and by extension the Prince, she doesn’t correct them until the deception gets too deep to walk back. Mandy and Prince Colin get to know each other as they strike a deal with the sheriff for him to do community work. The Prince, who is set to be engaged to Lady Isabella as soon as he gets back to Edgemere, falls in love with “Deidre” and finds that duty and what his heart desires don’t always have to be in conflict with each other.

Stream My Summer Prince on Lionsgate Play.

5. Rush to the Dead Summer (2017)

The Chinese TV series spans a period of 10 years for a group of friends, starting in summer when they are in high school. Starring Chen Xuedong, Zheng Shuang and Bai Jingting, the 2017 series is about friendship and betrayal between a quiet artist, a kind and sincere girl, and a protective friend who goes to prison for defending a friend.

The story follows them through graduation and after they go their separate ways and live their own lives. Like in real life, people grow and change — and not always for the better. The summer of their youth fades away and in comes reality with its lessons and hard-fought wins.

Stream Rush to the Dead Summer on Viu.

Keep that kilig flowing this summer and watch these romantic classics in crispier detail and uninterrupted through PLDT Home‘s fastest and strongest connection. Stream these titles on Lionsgate Play when you activate your complimentary voucher from PLDT Home and on Viu Premium for only P80 a month charged to your PLDT Home account.

PLDT undisputed as fastest Internet service provider for five straight years

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PLDT Inc. (PLDT) has achieved a five-peat win at the Ookla® Speedtest Awards™ 2022 -- a first for PLDT, and for the Philippines.  

PLDT President and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio leads a toast to their Fastest Internet 5 Years In A Row award with (L-R): PLDT Senior Vice President - Head of Consumer Sales Group Alex O. Caeg, First Vice President - Head of Enterprise and International Business Groups Albert Mitchell L. Locsin, Ookla CTO Luke Deryckx, PLDT Senior Vice President - Head of Home Business Group Jeremiah M. de la Cruz, PLDT and Smart Network Head Roderick Santiago, and Ookla Senior Vice President and Global Head of Sales and Enterprise Services Kuljeet Randhawa.

Global benchmarking company Ookla® announced that PLDT, the country’s largest digital services provider, achieved a top speed score of 86.52 in 2022, affirming the telco’s dominance and consistent performance in delivering the country’s fastest Internet speeds for the fifth consecutive year. 

Leading the Philippines’ digital transformation 

PLDT has consistently dominated the Ookla® Speedtest Awards™ for five consecutive years as a result of the telco giant’s aggressive network expansion and drive to lift the quality of customer experience. 

The PLDT Group has been supporting the country’s digitalization by bringing the benefits of connectivity and other digital services to more areas in the Philippines. In 2022, PLDT recorded a total of 6.08 million fiber-powered ports, covering around 17,700 barangays across the country. 

“PLDT’s commitment is to help build and empower the nation by setting the bar high in providing world-class digital services for Filipinos,” said PLDT President and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio. “For the past five years, PLDT has made big strides to elevate our customers’ experience by delivering the best fixed network services. We intend to keep this momentum and to go above and beyond in ensuring that our customers get the best digital experience wherever they need it – at home, school, or the office.”

PLDT remains the only telco in the Philippines that can deliver the fastest fiber-optic speeds of up to 10 Gbps, which was made available to the public as early as 2021. This groundbreaking move has placed the Philippines alongside first-world nations in terms of ultra-fast internet speeds including South Korea, Japan, Norway, Italy, New Zealand, and USA. 

As of end-2022, PLDT achieved an all-time high number of home broadband customers by adding 1.1 million new fiber subscribers, capturing 59% of fiber customer industry growth for 2022. This brought PLDT Home’s total fiber subscribers to 2.9 million.

PLDT Home continues to be the trusted telco provider of Filipinos that delivers the fastest internet and future-ready innovations in their homes. Leading innovations for the home broadband segment in 2022, PLDT Home boosted its efforts to give customers the best digital experience at home by increasing the speeds of all its Fiber plans up to two times faster than previous speeds. 

The PLDT Group, through its ICT subsidiary ePLDT, also provides data center, multi-cloud and cybersecurity solutions that enable the digital transformation of large companies, Micros, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to help drive the country’s inclusive economic growth. Leveraging on PLDT’s advance infrastructure, ePLDT is the country’s leading provider of data center and multi-cloud managed service offerings.

PLDT remains undisputed fastest internet in the Philippines, winning the Ookla Speedtest Awards for five years in a row. In photo are (L-R): PLDT Senior Vice President - Head of Home Business Group Jeremiah M. de la Cruz, Ookla Chief Technology Officer Luke Deryckx, PLDT President and CEO Alfredo S. Panlilio, PLDT First Vice President - Head of Enterprise and International Business Groups Albert Mitchell L. Locsin, PLDT and Smart Network Head Roderick Santiago and Ookla Senior Vice President and Global Head of Sales and Enterprise Services Kuljeet Randhawa.

The Most Coveted Ookla Speedtest Award

PLDT is the only telco in the Philippines that has ever achieved a five-peat for the highest award from Ookla. According to Ookla, only a handful of internet service providers have won the prestigious award for five consecutive years worldwide. In Southeast Asia, only PLDT as the leading telco in the Philippines has this honor, alongside Singapore’s ViewQWest. 

Ookla’s Chief Technology Officer, Luke Deryckx, affirms PLDT’s superior network performance for the past five years. He says, “With over 18 million consumer-initiated tests taken daily and billions of data points gathered, the Ookla data paints a clear picture of the performance, quality, and availability of virtually every network in the world. We are proud to recognize PLDT’s hard work in providing the fastest Internet experience in the Philippines and celebrate their achievements in superior network performance over the last 5 years.” 

With the consistent wins at the Ookla® Speedtest Awards, PLDT also clocked the top speeds in major areas in the Philippines and bested all other major telco providers in 2022 including Pasig City, Cagayan de Oro, Baguio City, amongst others.

All these achievements are powered by PLDT’s widest fiber network in the country which now spans 1.1 million kilometers, extending its reach to 17.2 million homes passed, in 68% of the country’s cities and municipalities. 

For more information about PLDT’s Ookla Speedtest Awards, visit www.pldt.com. 

Disclaimer: 

Based on analysis by Ookla® of Speedtest Intelligence® data for (Q1–Q4) 2018, 2019,2020, 2021, 2022. Ookla trademarks used under license and reprinted with permission.

Gawad Madiskarte returns, over P1 million worth of prizes at stake!

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Madiskarte Moms PH (MMPH) brings back Gawad Madiskarte, a tribute to outstanding women entrepreneurs, with over P1 million worth of prizes. Nine moms from all over the Philippines have the chance to win cash prizes, gadgets, PLDT Home Fiber line for 12 months, mentorship program, and more!

A Facebook community launched in the thick of the pandemic, Madiskarte Moms PH encourages entrepreneurship among moms wanting to earn from home through online businesses while still enjoying quality time with their families. The community has more than 154,000 members who regularly share ideas, and offer each other advice, encouragement, and inspiration.

The mompreneur group also empowers their fellow women and the people around them. They have the ability to draw strength from their life experiences, challenges, and hardships. And most especially, this community helps women turn their startups into scalable businesses that can financially support their families and fuel their dreams.

Honoring the Madiskarteng Pinays

Gawad Madiskarte was first launched to honor the mompreneurs who overcame challenges and flourished at the height of the pandemic. In a report by the ADB, it was found that “more women than men have left their paid jobs to provide essential services to their families,” and that 64% of women had no personal income, compared to 39% of men. Another study found that more Filipino women than men began to run home microenterprises on ecommerce platforms during the pandemic.

Gawad Madiskarte was born from the insight that the one thing Filipino moms needed to cope with the pandemic was a sense of optimism, confidence, and sheer determination. By celebrating women's achievements and showcasing women's support for each other in a community through this annual award program, MMPH aimed to build that confidence. This year, Gawad Madiskarte is back to do just that.

Major categories for this year include Diskarteng Angat (Fastest-Growing Business), Diskarteng Digital (Best Multi-Channel Business) and Diskarteng May Puso (Best Social Enterprise). Two major winners per category will be chosen from the Startup Division and Scale Up Division. The former are home or online businesses that recently started and show great potential while the latter are businesses that have been running for at least 13 months and are registered with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) or the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

Special awards will also be given to three deserving finalists. These awards are Diskarteng Malikhain (Most Creative Business Branding), Diskarteng Pasulong (Most Innovative Product) and Diskarteng Home Biz (Mompreneurs’ Choice Award).

Last March, PLDT Home’s Madiskarte Moms PH (MMPH) won, not only the Gold Anvil Award, but also the prestigious Grand Anvil – the highest honors at the 58th Anvil Awards, considered the Oscars of local PR, awarded by the Public Relations of the Philippines (PRSP). MMPH was also given the Silver Award from the Asia Pacific Stevie Awards last year. Gawad Madiskarte 2022 was also honored at this year’s Anvil Awards with the Gold Anvil under the PR tools category.

To join this year’s awards, applicants should be part of the Madiskarte Moms PH Facebook community and fill out the Google Form posted on the announcement tab of the group. Interested applicants can enter this year’s Gawad Madiskarte Awards until May 15, 2023.

To know more about this year’s Gawad Madiskarte and details on how to enter, join https://pldthome.info/GawadMadiskarteAwards2023.

These successful mompreneurs share the most important lessons they’ve learned

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The future of Philippine entrepreneurship is female and digital. PLDT Home harnesses the power of the country’s fastest broadband internet provider by supporting Madiskarte Moms PH (MMPH), an online community of mompreneurs who want to build and grow their own online business while taking care of their family’s needs at home.

PLDT Home advocates women entrepreneurship through digital business tools 

and awards recognition

At present, there are 153,000 community members who regularly share ideas and knowledge, and offer each other advice, encouragement, and inspiration. The group has helped many of its members grow their side hustles into booming online home businesses that have allowed them to support and build dreams for their families.

The group became not only a go-to space for digital business tools, basic and necessary knowledge and skills training, and networking opportunities, but it also became an emotional and mental support system. MMPH believes in the importance of giving recognition to the passion and resilience that the members have shown all throughout their entrepreneurial journey, especially during the pandemic.

Hence, MMPH launched the Gawad Madiskarte Awards in 2022 to highlight and celebrate the most outstanding mompreneurs in the community. The winners were rewarded with more of the support that they need to expand their business further and their stories serve as an inspiration to every mompreneur who are working hard to reach their own dreams of success.

Mompreneurs who inspire

For mompreneur and Diskarteng Solid Award winner Abigail Madrigal, support from many people is always crucial when trying to get a business off the ground. She sold high-quality bedsheets on online selling platforms while balancing a full-time job and raising a toddler during the pandemic.

“I started this business with the capital of P10,000—equivalent to 50 yards of fabric in five designs that were sewn by my Nanay. Now, we have the house next to ours as a production area, with rolls and thousand yards of fabrics in almost 100+ designs,” she shared.

“MMPH gave me the important backing that I needed when I was starting. This platform landed me several clients and the word-from-mouth created from these transactions started the growth and reputation of my store, Mommy Matters. The posts that I read in the group also inspired me to work better on my venture,” Abigail said.

Kaylynn Adolfo of The Asian Mommy is a Diskarteng Eco-Friendly winner for her line of locally-made reusable cloth diapers. Her business follows her staunch zero-waste advocacy, exemplified with the reusable diapers and environmentally friendly packaging.

Kaylynn learned that the network of like-minded people you meet can also be your biggest supporters and customers. “Through the Madiskarte Moms community, I have met moms that are now my suppliers,” she said. “I have also taken advice from other moms that has helped my brand flourish. The group has also helped me find customers multiple times.”

Protecting the environment is likewise the advocacy of Rosanna Dela Cruz Kabiling of Something Nice Environmental Corp., a winner for the Diskarteng May Puso award, whose biggest lesson was that committing to a good cause can bring you success.

Her business deals with the proper transport, treatment, disposal of hazardous waste; and reduce, reuse, recycle of scrap material for local and multinational companies. She values the supportive network that she has built with MMPH.

“I am happy to see a lot of mommies today who are open-minded enough to start their own business and who are fulfilling their dreams. The group helps me to realize how blessed I am,” Rosanna said.

Madiskarte Mom Theresa Carbonell Buenaflor of Ellana Mineral Cosmetics was chosen for the Diskarteng Digital award, for using social media platforms to reach her customer base with her skincare, body care, and makeup products. Her inspiring insight is that one should always use technology and digital trends for better chances of success.

“MMPH helped us believe that there are still good people out there who support our brand, especially during the challenges of the pandemic,” Theresa said. “I'm grateful for the support and reception of this group because it helped me believe that there are still good people out there who can support each other in these tough times.”

Lou Neri Putian was the 2022 Diskarteng Home Biz winner. She has emerged successful with her Sy Glow cosmetics and skincare products that are available through direct sales. She was able to thrive and properly manage her home business despite being a full-time mom raising her three kids, proving that with some diskarte and the right motivation, it is never impossible for moms to balance a business and being a mother.

“I was inspired by the other Madiskarte Moms of the group in growing my business, which I juggled together with taking care of my kids at home,” she says.

PLDT Home aims to support the online community further, and help empower more women to achieve business success.

PLDT Home is set to hold the second Gawad Madiskarte Awards in May 2023 to recognize the Madiskarteng Pinays who have shown excellence in growing their online home businesses and positive attitude in helping and inspiring other fellow mompreneurs. To know more about this year’s Gawad Madiskarte Awards, join the Madiskarte Moms PH online community here: https://pldthome.info/GawadMadiskarteWomensMonth2023.

PLDT Group and Nokia advocate for a digitally empowered business landscape

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Many research studies have shown that digital transformation remains to be a fundamental strategy for businesses to stay relevant. Harvard Business Review predicts game-changing technologies like 5G, AI, and the cloud to be front-runners for mass adoption in the next few years while global management consulting firm McKinsey & Company reports that 71% of the 79 largest consumer firms globally have already put down stakes in the metaverse. And as businesses today are faced with challenges on sustainability, it is achievable through data-driven insights and innovative solutions.

These were the trending topics during the Philippine Digital Convention 2022 (PH Digicon). PLDT Enterprise, the business arm of the largest fully integrated telco services provider PLDT, discussed how innovations are expected to change the business landscape after the pandemic during the panel discussion, “Going Beyond the Future of Tech.”

The panel, moderated by PLDT and Smart FVP and Group Head of Corporate Communications, Catherine Yap-Yang, was joined by ePLDT President and CEO, Victor Genuino, Nokia Vice President and Head of Southeast Asia, Daniel Jaeger, and Cisco IOT APJC Senior Sales Director, Simon Rizkallah.

ePLDT President and CEO, Victor Genuino, talking about enterprises adapting to digital change, to respond to evolving needs of their customers.

“Enterprises have realized that in order to remain relevant to their customers, they have to digitally transform, disrupt themselves and the way they conduct business,” says ePLDT President and CEO, Victor Genuino.

Nokia Vice President and Head of Southeast Asia, Daniel Jaeger, discussing the digital transformation happening from within their organization.

When it comes to disruption, global tech giant Nokia is a pioneer. Operating in various industries for over 155 years, it wasn’t until the 1990s that Nokia focused its operations on large-scale telecommunications infrastructure, technology development, and licensing. Since then, Nokia has been operating in 130 countries, won nine Nobel prizes, and has been a trusted partner for critical networks, committed to innovation and technology leadership across mobile, fixed, and cloud networks. They have gone from ‘connecting people’ to now ‘helping the world act together’.

“Indeed, the tagline that we are carrying now is much bigger than the previous one,” shares Daniel Jaeger, Nokia Vice President and Head of Southeast Asia. “It has not completely changed, but…became a bit bigger. Yes, we are still connecting people with technology that we provide with the networks that we build and partners like Smart and PLDT, but it goes way beyond that.”

Just like the theme for the 2022 conference, Nokia continues to embody what it means to be ‘boundless’ going above and beyond for its partners and customers and expanding their technology portfolio to help build the capabilities needed for a more productive, sustainable, and inclusive post-pandemic world.

Adding to Nokia’s commitment and capabilities is their pledge towards an environmentally friendly and sustainable future. As they said at the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference or COP26 climate summit in November 2021: “There is no green without digital.” Nokia wants to lead the way on the global stage in making the case for digitalization as central to addressing the climate challenge.

Jaeger echoed this commitment when he said, “Of course, we start at home, and the first question is how do we make the networks that we build as efficient and as green as possible?”

“It’s not just a job that we have to do,” he explains further. “But it’s really a contribution that we as the communications industry, in a broader sense, need to do.”

Nokia has made the call for accelerated digitalization and green energy uptake and has committed to use 100% renewable electricity in its own operations by 2025.

ePLDT, on the other hand, has been an advocate of sustainability by pushing for greener data centers in the country. Genuino believes that sustainability starts with the customers. “They've been asking us difficult questions that push us to reassess how we run our business,” he says. “It’s our customers that drive us to be innovative in the way we build [our] data centers, source power and manage our operations.”

More than servicing its customers, it has been one of the PLDT Group's core values to champion a sustainable future as it continues to build infrastructures to improve the country's digital ecosystem.

From helping the world connect to ensuring that it does so in as green as possible, Nokia and the PLDT Group are paving the way for the future– in building a sustainable and transformative tomorrow.

PH Digicon remains to be the Philippines’ most prestigious, and one of the most sought-after digital thought leadership events in APAC that brings together global thought leaders and technology experts from across all industries. For more information, visit https://pldtenterprise.com/.

PLDT Home’s Madiskarte Moms PH wins the most prestigious Grand Anvil at the 58th Anvil Awards

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The entrepreneurship advocacy has helped thousands of mompreneurs succeed in their online home businesses amidst the COVI9-19 pandemic

PLDT Home’s Madiskarte Moms PH community won the Grand Anvil Award. In this photo (L-R): PRSP President Harold Geronimo, Stratworks Managing Director Mark Christian Parlade, PLDT Home’s Head of Digital Content Marketing Mabie Encarnacion, PLDT Home’s Manager for Fixed Wireless Postpaid Kat Yulo, PLDT Home’s AVP for Product Marketing (Digital Services) Janice Lagaso, PLDT Home’s Senior Manager for Marketing Communications Linette Garcia-Perez, PLDT Home’s Product Manager for Entertainment Tin Rementilla, PLDT Home’s PR Manager and Community Lead for MMPH Daphne Gripal, PLDT Home’s Digital Content Specialist Elaine Lara, Former DTI and DepEd Secretary and Alliance Global Group Independent Director Jesli A. Lapus, AVP and Head of PLDT Home Public Relations and Influencer Management Cheryl Maxine Loyola, PRSP Trustee and 58th Anvil Awards Chairperson Georgina “Joji” Banzon, and Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management President and CEO Justin Green

PLDT Home’s Madiskarte Moms PH (MMPH) online community won the prestigious Grand Anvil Award, the highest honors at the 58th Anvil Awards this year. The community’s first ever annual awards that celebrates exceptional mompreneurs, Gawad Madiskarte 2022, was also a recipient of a Gold Anvil Award under the PR tools category.

“We are humbled to have won the prestigious Grand Anvil Award for an advocacy that our brand truly believes in, and it’s made even more meaningful to have received the recognition on International Women’s Day,” said Cheryl P. Loyola, Assistant Vice President and Head of Public Relations and Influencer Management at PLDT Home.

“It is our privilege and honor to empower and support our hardworking, dedicated, and passionate mompreneurs. We are always committed to help them be financially independent and succeed in life by providing the fastest and most reliable PLDT Home broadband to power their online businesses,” she added.

MMPH is an online community launched at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic which had gravely affected many working Filipino women; some lost their jobs while some were forced to leave their work in order to focus on their domestic duties. Understanding the increasing financial responsibilities that their families face, PLDT Home and a group of Filipino moms launched Madiskarte Moms PH in September 2020. A Filipino term for someone resourceful, “madiskarte” fittingly captured the spirit of Filipino moms who took on the challenge of digital entrepreneurship amid the pandemic.

An online community for aspiring, starting, and experienced mother entrepreneurs or mompreneurs, MMPH aims to educate moms on how to successfully start, manage, or grow their business by providing them with information and resources; build a strong support system with like-minded moms in a safe online space; and empower them to succeed in their entrepreneurial journey through technology and skills training in partnership with industry leaders as well as providing them with business starter kits.

Madiskarte Moms PH also launched the first ever Gawad Madiskarte 2022: A Tribute to Outstanding Filipina Mompreneurs on Women’s Month last March 2022, which also won a Gold Anvil Award. It is an awards ceremony that recognizes exceptional mompreneurs who thrived despite the hardships brought about by the pandemic. MMPH honored mompreneurs who overcame challenges and flourished during these trying times.

Madiskarte Moms PH also previously won a Silver Stevie Award for Innovation in Community Relations or Public Relations at the 2022 Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards.

The Anvil Awards, presented by the Public Relations Society of the Philippines, is the "Oscars" of public relations in the country where they recognize the most excellent and outstanding PR programs and tools every year.

The Stratworks, Inc. and Playback team along with the PLDT Home PR and Influencer Management team

PLDT Home also bagged eight Anvil Awards for their impactful and meaningful campaigns and advocacies.

New PLDT Home Fiber Plans now with 2x more speeds at the same price

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What would you do if you have more speed to power your digital lifestyle? What if you could have the opportunity to experience up to twice the speed you’re getting now? That can be a reality now as PLDT Home rolls out the biggest speed upgrade with the newest Fiber Plans this February.

Faster Fiber Plans Yet

The new PLDT Home Fiber Unli Plans are double the previous speed offers and can now reach up to 600 Mbps for as low as P2699 monthly.

What’s more, all these new Home Fiber plans get faster speeds with the same price as previous plans. Now, that’s a treat especially for the new subscribers. Meanwhile, existing subscribers will need not apply for any plan upgrade to get the same faster speeds as they will automatically get the new Fiber plan speeds starting this month.

Fiber Unli Plan	Previous speed	New speed
Plan 1699	100 Mbps	200 Mbps
Plan 2099	200 Mbps	400 Mbps
Plan 2699	400 Mbps	600 Mbps

What does it mean for PLDT Home Fiber customers?

Families at home with dynamic digital lifestyles will highly benefit from the faster internet speeds of the new PLDT Home Fiber plans:

● For those who like to surf the Internet: Fiber Unli Plan 1699, 2099, and 2699 with the new speeds of 200, 400, and 600 Mbps respectively, allow users to load websites and pages within seconds, making browsing an even more enjoyable experience.

● For those who love to stream their movies and TV series: Fiber Unli Plan 1699 with 200 Mbps makes streaming SD and HD content on a few devices smooth and seamless. Fiber Unli Plan 2099’s 400 Mbps allows smooth streaming of HD and Ultra HD content on more demanding devices like smart TVs and PCs. The full power of Fiber Unli Plan 2699’s 600 Mbps speed makes streaming up to 4K HD and even 8K on the latest smart TVs easier than ever.

● For those who need to work online: The 200 Mbps from Fiber Unli Plan 1699 makes video conferencing easier with none of the dreaded lagging and dropping out, and users can also download all the files they need in minutes or even seconds. Fiber Unli Plan 2099’s 400 Mbps is there for bigger download demands, and for those who need to work with the largest files all the time, Fiber Unli Plan 2699 is the ideal setup.

● For those who demand better gaming support: Fiber Unli Plan 1699’s 200 Mbps will give a lag-free gaming experience on one or two devices such as a PC and/or gaming console. For more devices at home, 400 Mbps from Fiber Unli Plan 2099 will maintain that low latency. For those with the biggest gaming setups at home with multiple devices, Fiber Unli Plan 2699’s 600 Mbps will easily power it all.

● For those into content creation: Fiber Unli Plan 1699 allows for quick and easy content uploading to platforms like Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and more. For streamers on platforms like Twitch, Fiber Unli Plan 2099 and 2699 ensure a consistent livestreaming experience at all times.

Whole-home coverage with Fiber Plus Plans

On top of the improved Fiber Unli Plans, PLDT Home has also upgraded its Fiber Plus Plans, which come with three Mesh WiFi devices to eliminate wi-fi dead spots in larger homes.

Fiber Plus Plan	Previous speed	New speed
Plan 2399	200 Mbps	400 Mbps
Plan 2999	400 Mbps	600 Mbps

Mesh WiFi creates a wider wi-fi coverage within the home, with devices only needing to connect to one network no matter where they are in the area.

The fastest fixed network in the Philippines

The launch of the new PLDT Home Fiber Plans plays a big role in PLDT Home’s status as the fastest broadband in the Philippines. PLDT Home has consistently received this recognition in global internet testing firm Ookla’s regular rankings.

Meanwhile, the Philippines has also steadily climbed up the Speedtest Global Index over the past year, jumping two places higher in the January 2023 edition with a median download speed of 88.13 Mbps. This rise is due in part to PLDT Home’s contributions to the constant improvement of the country’s network infrastructure.

Experience the possibilities of even faster fiber internet with PLDT Home’s upgraded Fiber Plans. Visit this link today to find out more.

PLDT Champions Sustainability Through the Bohol Cacao Production and Rehabilitation Project

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Celebrating leadership and sportsmanship, the PLDT Group held its MVP Cup Golf Tournament, at the Sta. Elena Golf & Country Club in Laguna. With its theme, “Further Together Through Camaraderie Among Champions,” PLDT partnered with organizations that pushed for sustainable development through innovation and corporate social responsibility, most notably with the PLDT-Smart Foundation (PSF), PLDT Group’s social outreach arm.

Present during the turnover of the donation was Chief Technology Officer, Jojo G. Gendrano; ePLDT President and CEO, Victor S. Genuino; PLDT Group President & CEO, Al S. Panlilio; Bohol Chocolate maker and entrepreneur, Dalareich Polot; and PLDT-Smart Foundation President, Esther Santos

Marking the annual tournament’s 19th year, partners and guests gathered to recharge, unwind, reconnect, and contribute to a meaningful cause at the fellowship night of the newly returned golf event. PLDT has long embedded sustainability in all aspects of its business and aspires to maintain relationships with like-minded partners. This year’s beneficiary is the Bohol Cacao Production and Rehabilitation Training Program, a sustainable approach to create livelihood opportunities for smallholder farmer cooperatives and associations in Bohol, especially after the devastating effects of super typhoon Odette last December 2021. Through the MVP Cup, PSF turned over P250,000 to its Adopt-a-Cacao Project.

During the event, Bohol Chocolate maker and entrepreneur, Dalareich Polot, shared the disastrous effects of the super typhoon on her home island, particularly on farming cacao trees that are a big part of Boholano culture.

Through her efforts and the support of PSF and Alagang Kapatid Foundation, also under the MVP Group, she was able to continue with rebuilding and recovery projects– most notably with the Bohol Cacao Production and Rehabilitation Training Program. Through this project, the farmers will undergo two days hands-on training to learn about cacao rehabilitation and rejuvenation, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and values formation.

Guided by its commitment to driving the country’s digital capabilities forward, PLDT will also integrate technology into the project with data gathering to be done through QR codes for a more efficient cacao inventory and traceability. Producers will likewise be connected to the right market to sell their quality dried cacao beans to chocolate makers in Bohol.

With cacao rehabilitation, propagation, and production, the community would be able to recover their cacao trees and make them productive again. This is in line with Polot’s vision of supplying quality cacao beans to all the chocolate makers in Bohol, the Philippines, and the world.

The MVP Cup continues to be a platform that strengthens sportsmanship and leadership while raising awareness on important causes such as this. The Bohol Cacao Production and Rehabilitation Training Program is proof of PLDT’s commitment to its values of integrity, excellence, and that by working hand in hand, organizations and businesses can go Further Together.

To make a donation to the Bohol Cacao Production and Rehabilitation Training Program and other programs, please visit www.pldtsmartfoundation.org or at www.facebook.com/dalareichchocolatehouse.

Watch Maxene Magalona’s Valentine’s Day Video for #HerFirstLove

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We can find all kinds of love in this lifetime, but nothing compares to a first love. Sometimes, it’s not the first person that gave them kilig, nor the puppy love that gave us butterflies when we were kids—for some of us, our first love actually began at home.

For most of us, our parents are the ones who loved us first, unconditionally. Actress, host, and meditation teacher Maxene Magalona realizes this meaningful truth and shares it with everyone in a new Valentine’s Day video from PLDT Home.

In the video, she pens a letter to her late father, the iconic and legendary master rapper Francis Magalona.

Maxene describes how her father taught her the true meaning of love. “For you, love is about acceptance and non-judgment. You love others the way you want to be loved—by just letting you be who you are,” she writes.

“The love my dad showed me is my first love. He was a very genuine person. He showed everyone sincerity and respect. And to me, that’s love – accepting people for who and where they are,” Maxene says.

Love, indeed, is patient and kind. Maxene continues to live on the love that her dad taught her. “The love you experience at home is the love that you model,” she shares. “Love is a safe space where you will be accepted and not judged.”

In her letter, she mentions how her dad showed her unconditional love through his actions. “You always tell me what I need to hear, but in a kind and gentle way,” she writes. “You would laugh and giggle as you tell me that heartbreak and pain are a natural part of life.”

This Valentine’s Day, Maxene shares #herfirstlove story with PLDT Home. “I’m very honored to be part of a project that speaks of this kind of love. When you experience that kind of love at home you’re able to share it with others. I’m happy and honored that PLDT Home chose me to share this message to others,” she says.

She adds that her favorite part of the video is the love letter for her dad. “I get to reconnect with him even if he’s not here physically. It was a comforting and heartwarming experience because it makes me remember that even if I am physically alone, love really knows no bounds. My dad’s love lives in me. I want to continue that legacy of his love.”

Maxene concludes the letter by declaring that despite the painful heartbreaks, she’s not afraid to love again. 

“I will never give up. I will never lose hope. I know deep in my heart that I will find my true love one day because you showed me what true love is about. Thank you, Pop. I found my first love at home.”

Watch Maxene Magalona’s heartwarming video on PLDT Home’s Facebook page or YouTube channel.

PLDT and Cisco urge organizations to prioritize digital transformation

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PLDT Enterprise, the business arm of PLDT, and BOUNDLESS: Philippine Digital Convention 2022 (PH Digicon) highlighted emerging technologies and practices to help leaders and consumers adapt to the ever-changing business landscape during the panel discussion “Going Beyond the Future of Tech,” moderated by PLDT-Smart FVP and Group Head of Corporate Communications, Catherine Yap-Yang. The panel was joined by global tech leaders such as ePLDT President and CEO, Victor S. Genuino, Nokia Vice President and Head of Southeast Asia, Daniel Jaeger, and Cisco Head of AppDynamics, APJC, Simon Rizkallah.

 ePLDT President and CEO, Victor S. Genuino on adapting to the ‘new normal’ for consumers and businesses 

“With today’s ever changing business landscape, enterprises are seeing the need to adapt because consumers are changing the way they consume products and services: they want goods and services delivered in a convenient, timely, and secure manner,” explains Victor S. Genuino, ePLDT President and CEO. “Businesses are realizing that if they are to adapt to this new normal, their businesses have to transform as well.” 

Cisco, the worldwide leader in technology, and one of this year’s keystone sponsors for PH Digicon 2022, shared insights on how the company embodies what it means to be boundless–in terms of always putting customers first and helping build a resilient and flexible enterprise as companies bounce back into their new normal.    

“From Cisco’s perspective, the end user is always in mind,” says Simon Rizkallah, Head of AppDynamics, APJC, Cisco. “We also understand that digital transformation really occurs with the service provider. [And so, we congratulate] service providers like PLDT who have managed, during COVID, to live up to the level that customers were looking for and enable people to operate their businesses, for people to work from home, and for kids to continue their education through e-learning.” 

 Simon Rizkallah, Head of AppDynamics, APJC, Cisco talked about how digital transformation is a continuous evolution 

Rizkallah goes on to explain that from a digital transformation perspective, it is still occurring, that it is a continuous task and evolution. Cisco also continues to take steps into adapting to this evolution, from insight and automation to sustainability in smart infrastructure, and data security. 

“For us at Cisco, the Environmental, Social, and Governance requirement is top of mind. So, everything that’s going to come out from Cisco moving forward is going to be focused on power and how we can become greener for the environment,” Rizkallah shares. “Security is also top of mind for everyone. We’ve seen hacks across the globe and power utilities, so, [for us and service providers] how do we protect this critical infrastructure as it becomes digital?” 

PH Digicon remains to be the Philippines’ most prestigious and one of the most sought-after digital thought leadership events in APAC that brings together global thought leaders and technology experts from across all industries. 

For more information, visit https://pldtenterprise.com/.  

#PHDigicon2022: “When I think about BOUNDLESS, I think that’s Magic Johnson!”

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 Philippine Digital Convention 2022 headline speaker Earvin “Magic” Johnson talked about his journey from being an NBA Hall of Famer to philanthropist and businessman

PLDT Group’s Cathy Y. Yang talked to PH Digicon 2022 headline speaker,

Earvin “Magic” Johnson, about his life and legacy 

After two years of holding the country’s most prestigious and one of the most sought-after thought leadership events in the Asia-Pacific Region virtually, PLDT Enterprise held the Philippine Digital Convention (PH Digicon) last October 27-28, 2022, face-to-face at the Marriott Grand Ballroom with a simultaneous broadcast online.

Highlighting the 2-day convention was the live interview with the legendary basketball icon Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson who strongly relates to the PH Digicon 2022 theme of BOUNDLESS. Hosted by PLDT Group Corporate Communications Head, Cathy Yap-Yang, Johnson fondly shares, “When I think about Boundless, I think that’s Magic Johnson!”

Raising awareness

In 1991, Johnson officially retired from his basketball career following the announcement of his diagnosis with HIV. In the same year, he founded the Magic Johnson Foundation, one of the most recognizable philanthropic organizations around the world today, which serves as a single-disease organization that works to raise funds for community-based organizations dealing with HIV/AIDS education and prevention programs.

Looking back, Johnson recalls the stigma and discrimination that used to rule the disease and how people talked in “hushed voices”. Now, people can openly talk about and discuss HIV/AIDS–all in the name of raising awareness of the disease. 

Johnson’s ‘retirement’ didn’t hold him back to do what he loves most when he came back to play in the 1992 All-Star Game and won the All-Star MVP Award. He was also a part of the ‘Dream Team’ that won the Olympic gold medal in Barcelona during the 1992 Olympics.

“When I look at our team and our achievements, we changed the world when it comes to the NBA and when it came to basketball,” he says. “What we were able to accomplish in Barcelona, the way that the world accepted us, we’ve never seen anything like it. We won the gold medal, but we changed the game of basketball around the world forever. And I am happy to be part of that.”

Raising the next generation of entrepreneurs

Johnson is also the founder and CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises, a global empire with a wide range of business endeavors that range from sports ownership, food service, to media and entertainment. He may have come a long way from bringing coffee shops and cinemas into Urban America, but he remains committed to his mission of creating jobs and opportunities for minorities and women-owned firms. When asked about retirement, the NBA Hall of Famer laughingly replied, “I am not built to slow down. I am a worker; I love to work, [and I bring] passion to my job every day.”

To prepare the next generation of dreamers and entrepreneurs, the NBA Hall of Famer, businessman, and philanthropist advised them about having a positive attitude despite setbacks, the importance of believing in one’s self, and having mentors–a role that he continues to play for many businesses, athletes, and his fans.

“My life is boundless. When I think of my journey, that’s the word I would use. I did everything that was not supposed to be done. When I think about boundless, I think that’s Magic Johnson! I was the first to go through a lot of doors, a man of color. Trust me, you can do it. Everybody out there, you can do it, you can have it, you can go do it, it’s all up to you.”

30 years later, after countless successful ventures, he shared, “Today, Magic’s court is the business world.”

 For more information, visit https://pldtenterprise.com/.